Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a success.
You might not like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
